We all know he's a knockout comedian, but this movie really comes to prove how versatile Danny Kaye is. At first I was doubting whether it would be amusing because I was not laughing, but then his performance left me teary eyed. Just one thing-it would have been much better to see his gorgeous orange hair in color. But no complaints! This is a wonderful movie that should be better known!

This Danny Kaye vehicle starts unpromisingly as a feeble, flat-footed comedy but develops – despite Curd Jurgens' heavily misplaced performance – into a slight but rather poignant little microcosm of suffering humanity. Danny Kaye, in a rare dramatic role, delivers a fine, sensitive account of "me" – which contrasts all the more with Jurgens' gaucheries. Glenville's direction is at its best in the handling of crowd scenes, and also in his effective use of natural locations. Elsewhere alas, he makes no attempts to dampen Jurgens' heavy-handed enthusiasm, or even to speed up any of the slow-moving expository scenes which – to add a total disinterest to what was already an almost complete turn-off – are filmed from the most uninteresting angles possible!

I must say, Danny Kaye delivers a very skilful and thoughtful performance as Jacobowsky, and Curt Jurgens is hilarious in his over-the-top display of pompous honor as the military Colonel. In the dangerous and harrowing era of the war it's surprising that any degree of humor could be found in stark situations, but this story does so, and does it well. At times it's downright funny, other times it's delightfully witty, turning life's awkward moments into amusing vignettes. Yet shining throughout is the quality of Kaye's sympathetic character who draws on the inherited wisdom of his people to help him meet one difficulty after another. An excellent story indeed. Thank goodness human nature can still find humor even in life's most dire moments.

Not your typical Danny Kaye movie, this brooding character study walks a tightrope among three genres and succeeds in being movie without being cloying. Curt Jurgens is marvelous as the Colonel. And, Danny Kaye gives one of his most distinctive performances. Well worth seeing.